SUMMER POTLUCK SURVIVAL GUIDE

July 17, 2018

Have you ever been to a BBQ and thought, “Ugh, I wish there some dang vegan food here. I guess I’ll eat this iceberg lettuce with some ketchup and call it a night.” Ya, me too. But let me show you some delicious food and drink options to spare you from having to eat your weight in baby carrots ever again! Or better yet, do what we did and throw a vegan potluck and tell people to bring anything but salad.

First off, you’ll want to bring some burgers and hot dogs (vegan, obviously). Field Roast has both so you’ve got all your bases covered. They make a great burger, frankfurters for your classic hot dog needs, and specialty sausages to kick it up a notch. The BeetxBeet personal fav is the Apple Sage Sausage. Now if you really want to impress a crowd, bring Field Roast vegan mini corn dogs. But bring a lot because they are addictive. We picked ours up at Whole Foods but you can find their products in many major grocery chains including Albertsons, Vons, Target, and Walmart locations.

Now you have your main dishes like burgers and hot dogs but who wants to eat that stuff plain? That’s right, nobody. Luckily, that’s where Follow Your Heart comes in. They are one of my favorite plant-based companies that has been around since the 70’s and now offering a wide variety of cheeses, spreads, dressings and even gluten free breads and tortilla wraps! We topped our burgers some some tasty smoked gouda (a personal favorite) and sharp cheddar slices. FYH has a ton of spread options because Veganaise comes in so many varieties. The new Garlic Aioli is amazing but the Chipotle flavor comes in a close second. (Fun Fact: BeetxBeet designed 40th anniversary labels for Follow Your Heart’s Veganaise jars!) You can find FYH products in a ton of stores including Lassen’s, Von’s, Target, Whole Foods, Publix and more.

I like big buns and I cannot lie. Pretzilla buns that is! Yes, vegan pretzel buns for your burgers and hot dogs. Dude, I know. It’s real. It’s a thing. It happened. Find them in most Whole Foods locations.

I’m big on probiotics and their health benefits so incorporating those products into my diet when I can is a must! No party would be complete without a lil ‘kraut on your dog. Let’s all remember that even though we are partying this summer, our guts need to stay healthy! Pickled Planet makes all the raw and organic sauerkraut your body could ever ask for to keep your belly nice and digesty. I love that they have a beet style kraut too! You can top burgers, sandwiches and hot dogs with this stuff. MMmmm!

We’ve got to wash down all that good food so on a hot summer day what’s better than an ice cold adult beverage? The coolest thing about 101 Cider House is that their cold pressed juice has zero sugar, probiotics and it’s made locally in LA with herbs and superfoods.

For those that don’t drink alcohol there’s fermented tea. You guys know I’m obsessed with kombucha so I had to pick up some of my favorite booch from GT’s Kombucha. Currently I’m super into the Thai Basil flavor. GT’s mom actually credits kombucha for helping her heal from breast cancer back in the 90’s and that’s when GT made it his mission to make this tea accessible to everyone and started his company. How cool is that? Find GT’s in your area by visiting their website.

What’s a summer party without ice cream? We knew we had to pull through for our guests and Nada Moo saved the day. We set up a cutie ice cream bar complete with cones, lots of toppings from nuts to chocolate sauce, and a sick back drop for photo ops. They have a ton of new flavors out so you can grab your personal favorite *cough Birthday Cake Cookie Dough cough* and grab some classics like Rocky Road or Vanilla…ahhh to please your vegan doubting friends. They also have a ton of new flavors like Strawberry Cheesecake and Cookie Dough Fudge. Are you drooling yet? Nada Moo is available at Whole Foods, Gelson’s, Sprouts, Lassen’s, and most Natural Food Stores. Bonus - They just opened their first brick and mortar in Austin, Texas.

Ok now that you know about some legit plant-based products out there I hope you never leave a summer party hungry again! I love seeing these products available at so many stores and becoming more accessible to everyone. It’s only a matter of time before your great aunt Millie calls you to say she just had the best vegan mac & cheese and wants to send you the recipe. So grab yourself some veggie burgers and a pint of ice-cream and show your crew how good vegan food can be!

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What are some of your favorite plant-based products and/or recipes to make for potlucks? Leave a comment and let me know.